Unmasking professional identity, moral injury, and the stressors of caregiving

Mark Stephens, Penn State College of Medicine

February 23, 2024 @ 01:00 pm to 03:00 pm

125 Borland
University Park

This immersive and transformative session invites participants to engage in the ancient art of mask-making, a powerful tool for self-expression and reflection, as an exercise to explore professional identity, moral injury, and the stressors of caregiving. The mask-making process serves as a metaphor for the dual roles that caregivers often embody. On the outside, participants will decorate their masks to represent what they typically present to the world in their caregiving roles. Participants will also have the opportunity to explore the inner self, often shielded from the world. The inside of the mask will be a canvas for expressing those feelings and thoughts that are kept private, providing a rare opportunity to acknowledge and articulate the internal struggles, fears, and emotional complexities inherent in caregiving.